Dubrovnik, Croatia

Monday December 5th

I was really looking forward to Dubrovnik and it didn’t disappoint. It is a beautiful fortified town that has been very well maintained. We had no tour scheduled today so we took the shuttle into the old town and walked around the streets.

It’s a pity that the weather didn’t fully cooperate, it’s was a cool 13°C and overcast. I can only imagine how much more beautiful the city would be under sunlight.

Me, outside the main gates

I was immediately swept into the magic of the walls, the drawbridge, and the town crier selling the heart of Dubrovnik. The main street is wide and open to pedestrians and is lined with flags. We walked around and looked for the way up to the top of the walls to lookout.  When we finally found it we were a little tired and cold.

A few hours in to our tour, we decided to stop in a café for a break. We had cappuccinos and some local deserts a strudel and a torta od makarula.  I particularly enjoyed the torta od makarula  which had a dark chocolate and noodle filling inside a pie crust.  You read correctly, it isn’t a type, it’s a macaroni cake!

We did lots of touristy shopping in Dubrovnik, seems they have a lot of lavender and lace and they have the typical tourist t-shirts and nick-knacks.

A view, outside the main gates

In my short 4.5 hours in Dubrovnik, I was really taken in by the architecture and scenery.  Dubrovnik must have been quite the fortified city in its day.  I would have loved to see it in all its glory under the sun and with a little bit more heat, but it was still one of my favorite ports to date.  Plus, it’s another country I’ve now had the opportunity to visit.  This cruise has been great, allowing me to add Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Croatia to the list of countries I’ve visited.

One of the streets in Dubrovnik, near the wall

Tonight is our third and final gala dinner on the ship.  Tomorrow, Ravenna Italy.